You Can't Save Him
by Ookami Misaki Yasha
Summary: What happens when Sakura's only way to save Sasuke's life ends up putting hers into a very dangerous situation?
1. Mission

_Why was she here? With him? With this boy?_

_She stared into his dark eyes her adrenaline pumping. **How did she get here?**_

* * *

"But Sasuke!" 

"No Sakura" His voice sounded annoyed. He looked annoyed in fact.

"Why?" She was stubborn she wasn't about to let him off that easy.

"Because..." He stopped turning to her. She stared back into his dark eyes. "It's too dangerous for you, Sakura. Please, for once listen. Just stay here." He stared back at her then started walking again. She tried to keep pace with him.

"And if something goes wrong I am allowed to come after you right?"

He whirled around on her his face suddenly shocked instead of carefully composed. "No Sakura. No matter what you hear. No matter what happens to me. Stay away. Understand?"

She thought it over. If anything she could lie now to appease him and show up anyways. "Fine."

He smiled slightly. "Alright then." They resumed walking.

In a matter of minutes they could see their destination. The raman shop. Best place to meet Naruto at. However, they were surprised to see Kakashi already there.

"Kakashi-Sensei. You are already here?" Sasuke sat beside him, Sakura sitting on his other side.

"Well, yes, good observation. Even I can be on time sometimes." He smiled from behind his mask, then his face was serious. "Are you still following through with the former idea?"

"That was the plan." Sasuke answered.

"What plan?!" Naruto practically yelled causing the shop keeper to look up surprised, then he shook his head and resumed cleaning an already spotless bowl.

"Shh!" Sakura commanded.**_ You idiot... _**

"It has to do with..." Sakura looked around. "His brother." She mouthed.

"Oh who cares about that!" Naruto was still speaking too loudly. "I'll come too! He won't know what hit him! I'll use the fox and..."

"No." Sasuke interrupted. "I'm going in alone. It's the best way to get him. Besides if he uses the sharigan I'm the only one who can properly withstand the menjutsu. No offense Kakashi."

"None taken. I agree actually, which is why I agreed to let you go alone. Now I will have the Anbu on response just incase."

"And I'll be prepared too." Sakura said quietly.

"No Sakura. You agreed that you'll stay away." Sasuke held her gaze until she sighed.

"Ok. But if you need medical..."

"No."

"Hey! If I'm not even going why did you want to meet me here anyways?" Naruto asked between bites.

"Because, Naruto. If the Anbu is needed we will have you called in too." Kakashi answered in a bored tone.

"Oh!! Called in sounds cool!"

"Yes you'll stay at my house tonight while we wait for Sasuke's report. My house is farely close to the roundabout point so we'll be set."

"Wait a minute? Naruto gets to go but I don't?" Sakura was mad, and kind of hurt. That was not fair. "I've been at the hospital lately learning new jutsu's to help healing. You have to let me be on call too."

"No Sakura. We've decided already you won't be in this." Kakashi was the one to answer this time. Even though they were all higher level chuunins now they still listened to him. She had nothing more to say.

"Alright..." She hung her head then stood. "I'm going home then." She walked out feeling their stares. She didn't have to even be looking to know that Sasuke was probably the only one not watching her leave. That hurt too. So he had his sadistic brother to worry about, what else was new. For once she'd think they'd let her help. She'd never gotten to even see his brother not in a fight, because she was never there.

She let herself into her house flopping onto her bed. **_Who says I have to listen to them anyways? I'm almost 17, well actually I still have 5 monthes to go but still, perfectly able to make my own decisions... _**She considered it. The worst that could go wrong would be her death...or Sasuke's. Or even Kakashi's or Naruto's. No she wanted to be there to insure that none of them would die. That couldn't stop her she had to help somehow. Somehow, she'd be there tonight.

* * *

**_Yeah short I know but first chapter and all that, its just an opening also the same why this is typed in the story it more or less stands for inner sakura thoughts...in case you didnt notice that. well review please and i'll try to have the next chap posted soon _**


	2. Disobediance

Sasuke walked though the village silently. His feet following the path that would take him to his old home. The Uchiha clan's old home.

He reached the large arch at the entrance. He looked up at the familiar crescent of the once great clan. Fury fumed inside of him. He pushed it down. He had to remain under control. He walked through the village not looking at the houses. He didn't want to feel the anguish again when he'd remember who had lived where and what they had done in his life, and who had been responsible. Whatever had happened that night was about to be repaid ten fold. He stopped outside his house and slid the door open to his old home.

Inside was empty of course. The halls felt almost cold. He walked through the rooms remembering the past. He skipped the door to his parents room. He had no desire to go in there. The last time he'd been in there had been the last time he'd seen them, dead, with his older brother standing over them. He went instead to Itachi's old room, inside was barren not unlike it was when they had still lived here. So either Itachi wasn't here yet, or he was in a different room in the house.

He walked over to the window beneath where he had seen Itachi sit so many years ago. He was about to go to the academy. He'd asked Itachi to show him a jutsu. "Later" He had told him. Just like he always did, but there was no later that day. He rubbed his forhead remembering the feel of his brother's fingers pushing against him.

Sasuke turned on his heel leaving the room. It was stupid how he acted then, tailing after Itachi like he was some prodigal. He had been very, very stupid and very, very weak.

He looked next in the kitchen. Nothing. Of course not. Itachi hadn't ever been in here much even when they had been a family. He was usually by himself, getting stronger...

Sasuke slowly checked all of the rooms then stopped outside the last door. His room. Would Itachi meet him there? Was Itachi in there now? Did he know that he was coming for him? He paused keeping silent to listen. Nobody was in there...he didn't think. It sounded perfectly silent...

"Sasuke." A low voice came from behind him. He stiffened. How had he not heard him approach? Was he still so behind his older brother that he couldn't even pick up Itachi's movements? He turned glaring, activating the sharigan.

"Itachi Uchiha." He snarled.

Itachi merely stared at him. Sasuke stared back. Red eyes meeting red. He wasn't going to break this silence. He'd trained so hard. He had to be strong just like Itachi. No better than Itachi.

"Brother." Itachi began, still standing perfectly still. "Why have you come back to this house? Wallowing in self pity?" He still looked careless, but he knew he'd get an effect out of Sasuke

Sasuke fumed. Discreetly trying to form a jutsu's signs. He had gotten to tiger when he saw Itachi's arm swing out slamming Sasuke through the door of his old room. His body slammed to the floor.

'Damnit.' He thought to himself jumping to his feet. He reached back releasing a kunai at Itachi, still standing calmly in the doorway.

Itachi stretched out one hand and the kunai was suddenly on his index finger, still spinning. Sasuke snarled.

"Did you think I wouldn't see your feeble attempts at attacking me? You are not interesting to me right now Sasuke."

"Which means what? You don't want to fight me?" Sasuke yelled.

Itachi considered him, his face still blank. "You wish to die that badly then? As you wish little brother."

Sasuke saw the movement Itachi made and moved in time to see three kunai wiz past his head. He didn't see however Itachi's foot lift up to kick him across the room. He grunted falling to the floor.

"Sasuke you are still not enough to ever beat me." Itachi told him moving towards him.

Sasuke concentrated. The familiar "chi chi chi" of the chidori reached his ears. He rushed at Itachi his arm glowing.

"It has never worked, why would it now?" Itachi grabbed Sasuke's arm glowing with the chidori and punched him in the stomach. Sasuke coughed spitting out blood.

'Damn. I'm still so far behind him. How can this be?!' He once again felt the floor beneath him. He hadn't even felt Itachi throw him, yet here he was again Itachi standing over him.

"I told you to get stronger. Seems like you can't, brother." Itachi suddenly looked intense. Sasuke felt a familiar feeling seeping through him.

"No! Brother not this again! AHHH!" He held his head as the view changed. Again he was in his village running seemingly nowhere. Dead and blood lay around him. He couldn't do anything but run. That hopeless-ness flooding through him again. "Stop it!" He struggled to get out of the menjutsu. He couldn't he was weak. Everything Itachi said was right. He could never catch up, why bother. As he slipped away all hope to get out, he yelled another time before falling to his knees. He hoped the others would stay away.

* * *

"Sasuke..." Sakura jumped up from her hiding place. He was in trouble. She just knew he was. She could hear it. She was sure that was his scream. 

As she ran quietly towards the Uchiha Village she wandered if Kakashi had sent anyone out. Probably not but still she wanted to go. She dashed under the arch of the entrance. She'd never been here before. Nobody ever went in here.

She wondered which house was his and had almost decided to look in ever one until she found it, when she heard another loud crash and Sasuke's yell.

She ran in that direction. "Hold on Sasuke..."


	3. I Have to Help

Sakura burst through the homes front door. She glanced around desperately. Which room? She dashed through the house peeking into random rooms. When she got to the end of one hallway she heard murmering. She took a deep breath and opened the door.

A slight gasp came from her. Sasuke was crouched on the floor. He looked like he was in pain, yet there weren't many wounds on him. The boy, or well man really, standing in front of him looked to be concentrating hard. His eyes were the same as Sasuke's and she figured without the sharigan they'd be very dark as well. He had lines running from his eyes, giving him an uncaring and almost tired look. His hair was longer than Sasuke pulled back into a ponytail on the nape of his neck. While she stared, he glanced to her and Sasuke noticeably relaxed.

"Itachi Uchiha." She breathed, remembering his name. He turned back to Sasuke seeming not to care much about her and Sasuke's torture resumed.

Sakura stood still. In the instant that their eyes had met, she'd felt an overwelming helplessness wash over her. Genjutsu then. Though she didn't think it'd matter she muttered the word to ward off the jutsu from her.

She took a moment to decide what to do. How could she release Sasuke? Apparently Itachi didn't see her as much of a threat seeing as he'd completely ignored her. She slipped a kunai out of her pocket. Just as she prepared to lunge at Itachi, he was suddenly beside her. His hand hit her wrist forcing the kunai to drop then he twisted her arm around behind her and shoved her into another wall.

Without a second look at her he turned once again to his younger brother. Sakura looked over at Sasuke.

His eyes were open now. His expression was twisted, his hands still on his head. He looked angry. Though angry at her or not she couldn't determine.

"Brother, you should tell your girlfriend to leave." Itachi murmered. He seemed to have not put the jutsu back on Sasuke. Perhaps he was saving his strength. Sakura had learned that the sharigan took a lot of chakra to use.

Sasuke looked from Itachi to Sakura. His look was pleading.

"No." Sakura answered, struggling to stand. Itachi was there again. He kicked her in the side and she fell back to the floor.

"Leave. This does not concern you." Itachi told her then walked away placing a hand against Sasuke holding him down. "Which hurts you more? The clan or her?" He stepped back again.

"No Itachi don't!" Sasuke groaned and resumed his fetal postition. Sakura thought she saw tears running down his cheeks.

"Stop it!" Itachi ignored her. "Please leave him alone!!"

He didn't answer merely stared at Sasuke. She could see blood trickling from Sasuke's mouth. She glanced around trying to find some way to stop Itachi. She checked her bag. **_What?! _**Empty. He'd taken her weapons. She reached down to where her shoe was. That was fine she had more. She threw the four shruiken hidden there at him.

He glanced up surprised. Probably only surprised to see her still moving, but he easily dodged them. He caught the last one on his finger and through it at her, mumbling something under his breath. The shruiken grew then multiplied.

She tried to dodge them but a couple sliced across her face and arms. She winced, and held her hand against the blood running from her arm. She moved to the back wall. How could she help Sasuke? He looked worse every time she looked at him.

"Naruto." She remembered. The anbu and Naruto were waiting. If she could get them here, maybe Naruto's demon fox could help. She built up a scream into her throat. This should get them here.

Itachi looked at her. His expression surprised her. It held something in it. Resent maybe...She didn't care. She screamed.

* * *

"AHHH!" Naruto yelled jumping up. Kakashi stood over him. "What was that?!" 

"Sakura I think." Kakashi answered, then he muttered something under his breath. It sounded like a choice cuss word. "She must be there too. Come on we have to go."

The Anbu nodded and sprang away into the night. Naruto and Kakashi followed, silently.

* * *

Sakura was struggling to even stand. Itachi was back over at Sasuke again. But not before he'd released a large fire at her. She winced as her clothes scraped against the burns. 

'I'll cut your tongue out next time.' Itachi had told her simply after she lay on the floor. This time it was her coughing out blood. She didn't understand why she wasn't just laying still. But she had to help Sasuke. It looked as though Itachi wanted to kill him with the genjutsu.

She stumbled towards them. What was she doing? She didn't even have weapons anymore.

She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She almost screamed again before remembering Itachi was in front of her. She turned confused.

Kakashi looked back at her telling her to be silent. He had his mask pulled up but one eye was tightly shut.

She could see the others behind him, their eyes also shut. So Itachi did have the genjutsu reaching them, then how come...She couldn't dwell on it because now Itachi was paying attention to them.

He still looked calm.

"Keep your eyes shut everyone." Kakashi ordered. Sakura could see one man in the back not moving. So he hadn't shut his eyes like the others. She looked away. She didn't like the look on the man's face. She wondered briefly at what he'd seen.

Naruto looked mad to have to have his eyes shut as well. He'd been brought but now they couldn't even do anything to help.

She turned back to Itachi and Kakashi. They weren't talking they seemed to be just staring at each other. Sakura inched towards Sasuke.

She crouched beside him. He looked at her. He seemed tired.

"Go" He murmered.

"No, Sasuke. I'll get you out of here." She looked back at Kakashi and Itachi. Now they were fighting. They were moving fast though and it hurt her eyes to watch. She turned back to Sasuke.

"What was he making you see?" She asked him. He glanced back up at her.

"My clan." He told her, his voice pained. "The same thing I've seen every night in my dreams, yet still I can't even stand up to it."

"Sasuke don't worry. You did great." She tried smiling at him. His eyes were slipping closed.

"Move Sakura!" She glanced up in time to see Kakashi a few feet from her. Itachi had thrown something. A shruiken? She couldn't tell. She ducked down covering Sasuke. She could feel it fly past her had then make contact with something.

She looked up scared, Kakashi was standing his hand wrapped around his side. She could see blood. He moved slowly to her side glaring at Itachi the entire time.

"Distract him Sakura..." He whispered.

"What?!"

"I'm sorry to make you do it but I promise you'll be fine. He won't kill you." He smiled down to her.

"What makes you think so?"

"He's not affecting you with the jutsu..." He answered. "Now hurry. He's still torturing Sasuke."

She looked over to Sasuke. Itachi had his concentration on him. His eyes were closed. Sakura moved over to him. She hesitated.

'Distract him? How?? **_Oh! I know how!! _**Shut up!' She yelled at herself. She moved not thinking then hesitated a foot from him.

She reached over turned him quickly and pressed her lips to his.


	4. At least I did Something

**_Author's note: grr...i made a few grammer errors in mi last chapter...how depressing...but anyways apart from that i liked the reviews i got for it...make sakura kiss itachi and everyone goes nuts...maybe they'll make out in this chapter jp...lol_**

**_

* * *

_**

Itachi was frozen under her lips, then it seemed as though he relaxed. Sakura had her hands wound into his hair. She held herself to him and opened her eyes slightly.

Sakura peeked over Itachi's shoulder. Now that his concentration was broken Sasuke was moving again. He looked at her. His eyes seemed to narrow infinitesimally. Her heart skipped a beat.

Was he mad?

She felt Itachi move under her. His hands closed around her wrists breaking her hold on him. He lowered her hands and pushed her away from him.

His face was carefully composed as he studied her. Then he turned away towards the door.

"You can't save him." He said then was gone. He moved so quickly she didn't even really see him go.

She turned numbly back to the others. All eyes were on her. Well except for the dead guy of course...

Naruto looked as though he was pouting. The Anbu looked stunned. Kakashi had his face bored as usual. But Sasuke...Sasuke looked livid. He looked down to the floor when she caught his eye.

"Naruto help Sasuke back to the hospital. Anbu you are dismissed just make sure they get to the hospital safely." Kakashi said authoratively.

The Anbu nodded and followed Naruto, supporting a weak Sasuke.

Kakashi turned to Sakura. She waited for his rebuke or smart comments.

"Good job, Sakura. We effectively managed to get him to leave. Though we didn't kill him, still he stopped trying to kill us. Way to work creatively." He bent down to pick up the various weapons strewn about the room.

Sakura stood stunned. Has Kakashi had his eyes open for the last few minutes? She supposed he was just trying to make her feel better. He too had probably seen Sasuke's expression.

"Thanks Kakashi." She answers. He stands walking to the door.

"Let's go Sakura."

She nods following him out the door. They walk together through the abandoned village.

"Do you think Sasuke will be ok?" She asks him once they leave the Uchiha village behind.

"Yes, I'm sure he will. Thanks to you and distracting our target." He smiles at her.

Oh, so now he's teasing her...

"Yeah..." She stares at her feet.

"Well here we are." Kakashi stops walking. She looks up surprised. "Your house?" He cocks his visible eyebrow.

She blushes. "Oh right." She opens the door turning to him. "Am I needed tomorrow?"

"No I don't think so. We'll cool it for a while."

"Ok. I'll be staying home then, unless you end up needing me." She starts to close the door.

"Oh. Sakura?"

"Yes?" She opens it wary.

"I promise to keep your efforts a secret." His eyes scrunch up, still amused.

"Thanks Kakashi..." She responds sarcastically, then shuts the door going to her kitchen.

She needed food. She knew she did, but she didn't want it. Instead she went down to her room, flopping onto her bed. Her foot swings impatiently.

"Oh come on snap out of it..." She rolls onto her side, kicking her shoes off. She didn't want to yet as she fell asleep her thoughts were on Itachi.

* * *

Sakura walked down the road solemnly. The sun wasn't even up, but she figured this was a good time as any to visit Sasuke. Though she was pretty sure he'd still be asleep. 

It was three days since the incident and he still hadn't woken up. She done nothing. Kakashi hadn't called on her and even Naruto left her alone. Avoided her maybe but still. She'd seen nothing of Itachi. Something she was glad for.

She let herself into the hospital. The woman at the front nodded to her as a greeting. Sakura waved back and continued down the hall.

She got to Sasuke's room pausing outside the door. Still quiet inside. She walked inside sitting down beside his bed.

His breathing was calm. She hoped his dreams were good. He still had a lot of wounds but they were minor ones, just a few scrapes and such. She figured his deepest wound was on his heart, or his mind even.

She stretched her hand out brushing his hair back. She sighed. She wished he'd wake up. She didn't like the look on his face when he'd last had his eyes open. She wanted to explain to him the dire situation. She still loved him. She had just met his brother why would she love him?

She wondered if that's what he worried. Maybe that look meant jealousy because he loved her back. She gave a small smile. Perhaps...

"What are you smiling about?" A quiet voice asked. She jumped looking down.

"Sasuke!!" She hugged him. He winced. "Oh, sorry." She let go sitting back.

"Hospital again..." He didn't say it as a question but it sounded like he was wallowing.

"Yeah. But we got you out in time before any serious physical damage was done." She couldn't say just damage because that'd be a lie.

"Yes..." He half closed his eyes, when he opened them again he gazed right back into hers. "Because of you."

"Sasuke..." She panicked. What would she say? How could she describe her rash actions? "That was just...I mean I didn't...Well I couldn't" She wondered if her half sentences even made any sense.

"It's alright Sakura. You did it to save a teammate." He looked out the window.

"Yes, to save you." She responded. He looked back at her. Something in her tone had caught his attention.

"Yes..." He trailed off. "Interesting way of saving me by the way..." He gave her the same expression from before.

"It was necessary!" She didn't mean to but she yelled it at him. His expression wasn't helping.

"Necessary to _kiss_ him!?" He looked shocked and angry.

"Well...I mean..."

"I guess your creativity is run out then." He closed his eyes then. It was a clear dismissal. Sakura stood turning to the door, she stopped with her hand on the handle.

"At least I did something." She didn't know why she said it. She knew perfectly well that was exactly what he was wallowing about, that he hadn't done anything. She didn't want to see his face either, she simply left him there in the room alone.


End file.
